NASA has chosen two mission proposals to further investigate X-ray and far-infrared wavelengths, marking the start of a new class of astrophysics missions. These missions fall within NASA’s Explorers Programme and have been allocated $5 million each for a 12-month concept study. A final decision will be made in 2026, with the selected mission launching in 2032.

Both mission concepts aim to explore uncharted regions of the universe. Nicola Fox, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate Associate Administrator, emphasised the potential for these missions to advance NASA’s scientific objectives, saying they will enable groundbreaking discoveries in line with top priorities set by the Decadal Survey.

Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite

The Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite, led by Principal Investigator Christopher Reynolds from the University of Maryland, College Park, is designed to explore supermassive black holes and study stellar feedback, a process critical to galaxy evolution. The mission will build upon previous X-ray observatories, offering advanced imaging techniques with a broader field of view.

Probe Far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics

The second proposal is the Probe Far-Infrared Mission, led by Jason Glenn from NASA Goddard. This mission seeks to bridge the gap between current infrared observatories and radio telescopes. The 1.8-metre telescope will study far-infrared light to address questions about planetary formation, supermassive black holes, and cosmic dust.

Both proposals were selected for their scientific potential and their alignment with NASA’s larger goals for future space exploration. The winning mission will be the first of NASA’s new Probe Explorers missions, which are intended to fill the gap between flagship and smaller missions.